Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “clairvoyance” come from?

Clairvoyance comes from French clairvoyance, combining clair (clear) and voyance (sight), literally meaning clear sight or vision.

clairvoyance (English): The power to see the future

Definitions

  1. The power to see the future

Ancestry of “clairvoyance”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchclairvoyanceclairvoyance
2FrenchvoyanceThe apparent power to perceive things that are...
3Frenchvoyantpresent participle of voir; clairvoyant; showy,...
4Frenchvoirto see; please
5Middle Frenchveoirto see
6Old FrenchvëoirAlternative form of veoir; to see
7Old FrenchvedeirAlternative form of veoir
8Latinvideō—
9Proto-Italicwidēōsee
10Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyd- →